Color display device and selection aid

ABSTRACT

Multiple color display panels are permanently hinged to the frontal edges of paint display shelves in retail stores and the like. The display panels bear relatively large and easily visible samples of actual paint colors with such samples positioned conveniently for viewing by a customer standing in front of the shelves. Removal and loss of the color display device is avoided. The panel or device may be shifted to a non-use position and latched or flipped up to facilitate restocking of shelves with paint cans.

United States Patent 1191 Eckart, Jr.

1 1 COLOR DISPLAY DEVICE AND SELECTION AID 175] lnventor: Edmund AlbertEckart, Jr.,

Westport, Conn.

[73] Assignee: Sapolin Paints, Inc.. Danburyl Conn.

[22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 426,759

[52] US. Cl. 108/77; 211/153; 312/234.4 [51 1 Int. C13 A47F 5/00 [58]Field of Search 312/2344, 234.5; 211/153,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.685.372 8/1954 Palaith .1211/153 1714.743 8/1955 Lochner.... 108/78 2750243 6/1956 Zielfeldt108/78 1451 Sept. 30, 1975 1815.529 12/1957 Herbolsheimer et a1" .v108/77 2828928 4/1958 Kollisch 312/2341 3,073,661 1/1963 Kelling3l2/234.4 3.1671187 1/1965 Sarkisan 211/153 Primary Examiner-Roy D.Frazier Assistant E.\'aminerDarrell Marquette Attorney, Agent, or Firmllarvin Reich [57] ABSTRACT Multiple color display panels are permanentlyhinged' to the frontal edges of paint display shelves in retail storesand the like. The display panels bear relatively large and easilyvisible samples of actual paint colors with such samples positionedconveniently for viewing by a customer standing in front of the shelves.Removal and loss of the color display device is avoided. The panel ordevice may be shifted to a non-use position and latched or flipped up tofacilitate restocking of shelves with paint cans.

6 Claims. 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of23,908,563

WT? m Jill A I'- fall" US. Patent S ept.30,1975 Sheet20f2 3 908563 COLORDiSlPLAY DEVICE AND SELECTION AID BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In theretail merchandising of paints, a problem always arises for the customerin locating and selecting and comparing particular colors. Small colordisplay charts are'available in the paint store and, when available,these charts or folders must be secured by the customer and transportedand carried to the paint display shelf followed by an inevitable searchthrough the cans on the shelf to locate the desired color. Also, thepatches of color on the selection charts are frequently very small andcrowded together making color comparison difficult as well as selection.At times, more elaborate selection chart may be hung up in the store onor near the display shelves with the possibility that someone mayappropriate the chart or misplace it, thereby compounding the problem oflocating and selecting the desired paint color.

The objective of this invention is to totally eliminate the abovedifficulties of the prior art through the provision of a highlyconvenient, attractive and efficient paint color display device in thenature of a permanent attachment to paint can display shelves in retailstores. The attachment takes the form of color display panels formed inrelatively rigid sections, each capable of displaying a plurality ofpaint colors and each section hinged to the frontal edge of a shelf. Theindividual display panel sections are swingable on their hinges betweennormal inclined display positions and upward non-use positions where thepanels may be temporarily latched to allow restocking of shelves or thelike. Each panel section may be tilted upwardly at any time tofacilitate removing the paint can from a shelf without the latchingoperation. Means are provided to hold each display panel section in amost convenient inclined position at the front of the shelves for readyviewing and comparison of colors. The colors on the hinged panelsections may be actual paint samples. The locations of the color sampleson the panel sections may bear a relation to the location ofcorrespondingly colored paints stored on the shelves. The inventioneliminates the necessity for customers to grope with paint charts orbrochures while attempting to locate and compare paint colors in astore.

Other important features of the invention will appear during the courseof the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theinvention applied to paint display shelves in a store.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of ahinged paint color display panel section and an associated shelf.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the invention in anormal use or viewing position.

FIG. 4 is a similar view of the invention while latched in non-useposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail wherein likenumerals designate like parts, the numeral designates tiered horizontalpaint can display shelves of any convenient length along an aisleway ina store or the like. Paint cans of various sizes containing paints ofvarious colors are shown on the shelves 10 in FIG. 1.

Hingedly secured to the frontal edges of the shelves 10 by leaf andpintle hinges 11 are sectionaicolor display panels 12, each'being o'fsufficient length along the shelf to display a plurality of colors, suchas five or seven. The paint colors are applied to the top faces of panelsections 12 in equally-sized rectangular areas or zones 13, eachdisplaying a single distinct color corresponding to a particular paintcolor in a can or group of cans on the adjacent shelf or shelves.Preferably, the individual color areas 13 on the display panel sectionsare formed by using actual paint applied to the panel sections with thecolor areas separated by black stripes 14 of relatively narrow width.This aids greatly in the viewing and visual comparison of side-by-sidecolors. The color areas 13 are sufficiently large, usually about 3inches by 8 or 9 inches, to allow the customer to readily visualize theappearance of colors on a large area such as a wall. In some instances,the color areas 13 may be produced by attaching accurately colored papersections or plastics material to the top faces of the panel sections 12,the latter being formed of wood or other suitable material. The lengthsand widths of the panel sections 12 may vary somewhat but preferablythey are 3 to 4 inches in width and 4 or more feet in length. Dependinguponthe lengths of the shelves 10, any desirable number of the panelsections 12 may be permanently attached with the hinges 1 l to the frontedges of the shelves so as to make a very attractive color display forcustomers looking down a long aisle or passageway in the store.

It is desirable that the hinged panel sections 12 normally rest ininclined positions downwardly from each shelf 10, at angles of 15, 30 or45 to the horizontal for most convenient viewing by customers. Tomaintain the panel sections 12 at the desired angle, small stop elements15 may be provided on the leaves of hinges 11 to prevent collapsing ofthe leaves in one direction beyond the point shown in FIG. 3, whichfigure shows the panel section 12 at the desired angle relative to theassociated horizontal shelf 10.

A further feature of the invention is the ability of the panel sectionsindividually to swing up to a level position or above the horizontal,FIG. 1, as where paint cans are being removed by a customer from a lowerlevel shelf. The customer need only tilt the particular panel sectionupwardly by hand, and when released. it will drop to its regularinclined position. To facilitate restocking the shelves with cans,without the need for constantly holding the panel sections up by hand,each section is preferably provided with a simple pivoted detent leveror catch 16 shown turned to the idle position in FIGS. 2 and 3 and inthe active position to hold the panel section 12 elevated in FIG. 4.When the element 16 is turned from its position of FIG. 3 to itsposition of FIG. 4, it will engage under the adjacent stationary shelf10 and will prevent the elevated section 12 from dropping downwardlyuntil the catch 16 is re turned by hand to the inactive position.

The invention is versatile, economical, durable and easy to install onshelves. It is highly attractive and forms a most efficient paint colordisplay means. New colors can simply be painted over the existing one inthe areas 13, or new sheet elements can replace those already mounted onthe sections 12 if this latter means of color display is used instead ofactual painting. Customers cannot remove the panel sections 12 from theshelves to which they are permanently attached and thus loss andmisplacement of the display means is avoided.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scopeof the subjoined claims.

I claim: i

l. A device for displaying multiple paint colors and the like comprisingan elongated panel section having means for containing paint colors onmultiple separated areas of the top face thereof throughout its length,a shelving system having a lower horizontal storage shelf for supportinggoods and an upper horizontal storage shelf, and means for hingedlyattaching the panel section to the frontal edge of said upper horizontalstorage shelf, and means attached to the panel section so as to engagethe frontal edge of said upper shelf for holding the panel section at anacute angle to the horizontal below said upper shelf while allowing thepanel section to be elevated to a horizontal position or substantiallyabove the horizontal, and a latch device on said panel section operablein one position to engage a stationary shelf to which the panel sectionis hingedly attached and to then hold the panel section in an elevatedsubstantially horizontal position forwardly of said shelf, said latchdevice movable to an inactive position on said panel section out ofengagement with said shelf.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the colors on said multipleseparated areas are produced by painting said areas with actual paintspecimens.

3. The structure of claim 1, and said device further comprising aplurality of said panel sections each independently hinged to thefrontal edge of said upper horizontal paint storage shelf along thelength of such shelf, each panel section bearing multiple paint colorson said separated areas thereof.

4. In combination, a first horizontal elongated storage shelf for cansof paint or the like, a second horizontal shelf mounted below said firstshelf and containing cans of paint thereof, a paint color display panelsecured hingedly to the front edge of said first shelf being formed inplural independently swingable sections, each section being ofsufficient length to display a plurality of equally sized relativelylarge color areas faithfully depicting actual paint colors, meansattached to the panel so as to engage the front edge of said first shelffor holding the panel at an acute angle to the horizontal below saidfirst shelf while allowing the panel to be elevated to a horizontalposition or substantially above the horizontal, whereby said cans ofpaint may be individually removed from said second horizontal shelf, andmeans to releasably latch each panel section in a raised position tofacilitate restocking of said shelf.

5. The structure of claim 4, and said means to releasably latch eachpanel comprising a pivotable detent lever having a first flat portion, asecond flat portion and an angular portion, said angular portioninterconnecting said first and second flat portions.

6. The structure of claim 1, and said latch device comprises a pivotabledetent lever having a first flat portion, a second flat portion and anangular portion, said angular portion interconnecting said first andsec-

1. A device for displaying multiple paint colors and the like comprising an elongated panel section having means for containing paint colors on multiple separated areas of the top face thereof throughout its length, a shelving system having a lower horizontal storage shelf for supporting goods and an upper horizontal storage shelf, and means for hingedly attaching the panel section to the frontal edge of said upper horizontal storage shelf, and means attached to the panel section so as to engage the frontal edge of said upper shelf for holding the panel section at an acute angle to the horizontal below said upper shelf while allowing the panel section to be elevated to a horizontal position or substantially above the horizontal, and a latch device on said panel section operable in one position to engage a stationary shelf to which the panel section is hingedly attached and to then hold the panel section in an elevated substantially horizontal position forwardly of said shelf, said latch device movable to an inactive position on said panel section out of engagement with said shelf.
 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the colors on said multiple separated areas are produced by painting said areas with actual paint specimens.
 3. The structure of claim 1, and said device further comprising a plurality of said panel sections each independently hinged to the frontal edge of said upper horizontal paint storage shelf along the length of such shelf, each panel section bearing multiple paint colors on said separated areas thereof.
 4. In combination, a first horizontal elongated storage shelf for cans of paint or the like, a second horizontal shelf mounted below said first shelf and containing cans of paint thereof, a paint color display panel secured hingedly to the front edge of said first shelf being formed in plural independently swingable sections, each section being of sufficient length to display a plurality of equally sized relatively large color areas faithfully depicting actual paint colors, means attached to the panel so as to engage the front edge of said first shelf for holding the panel at an acute angle to the horizontal below said first shelf while allowing the panel to be elevated to a horizontal position or substantially above the horizontal, whereby said cans of paint may be individually removed from said second horizontal shelf, and means to releasably latch each panel section in a raised position to facilitate restocking of said shelf.
 5. The structure of claim 4, and said means to releasably latch each panel comprising a pivotable detent lever having a first flat portion, a second flat portion and an angular portion, said angular portion interconnecting said first and second flat portions.
 6. The structure of claim 1, and said latch device comprises a pivotable detent lever having a first flat portion, a second flat portion and an angular portion, said angular portion interconnecting said first and second flat portions. 